


A Stolen Moment

by IreneClaire



Series: Various Notions Collection [39]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Feelings Realization, Feels, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Hurt Danny "Danno" Williams, M/M, Pining, Secret love, Short One Shot, Steve's Pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 03:07:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29769750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IreneClaire/pseuds/IreneClaire
Summary: An impromptu birthday present for my friend, Calacious.Steve takes an opportunity to let his guard down while Danny's completely unaware.
Series: Various Notions Collection [39]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/138750
Comments: 17
Kudos: 56





	A Stolen Moment

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Calacious](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calacious/gifts).



**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

His hand hovered above Danny’s head, so close and yet he wasn’t sure if he dared do it. According to the doctor, Danny would be out for hours. The sedatives were strong; just as he’d prescribed to alleviate the pain and allow his patient the time to rest.

Ever so slowly, Steve let his left hand fall. Two fingers were just in reach. Index and fore, spread across a forehead unlined in deep sleep. His thumb fell lower then, a gentle curve of pad to a scuffed, bruised cheek. He could almost breathe again.

This wasn’t his secret goal though. 

Pushing out all the breath he’d been holding on the sound of a soft exhale, Steve used this initial excuse for his fingers to shift. To cup the top of the verboden shiny blond strands. Braver when nothing happened and the sky didn’t fall, Steve settled his fingers there. At the top of Danny’s head, his thumb now sliding a soothing back and forth pattern over Danny’s forehead.

Another breath came and went, then a third. Drawn to the golden shine, Steve shifted yet again. A subtle resettling of his forearms where he leaned heavily on the bed rail was enough to casually pinch a small shiny swath between his thumb and forefinger. 

As soft as it was shiny, Steve’s eyes darted nervously across Danny’s face, making sure it remained lax lest he be caught. Nothing happened though and Steve’s lips twitched upwards in his secret. His track changed when his forefinger twirled those few hairs around it, allowing his middle finger to multi-task a longer crease, gently mussing the right side of Danny’s head. Nearest another bruise, sobering as that was, Steve was still allowing himself this indulgence. This brazen touching of his partner’s crowning glory that not even a stupid car accident could wholly ruin.

He leaned closer, his forearms aching against the hardness of the bedrail, breath held, caught up in his illegal actions. His fingers were braver now or maybe he was, as seconds became minutes and still,  _ nothing happened _ . 

Danny didn’t wake. The sky didn’t fall. Hell didn’t freeze over … though sometimes that didn’t seem a half bad idea. Just like if Danny woke ... now ... if he saw what Steve was doing? Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing either. Just maybe the sky wouldn't fall or hell wouldn't freeze over ... or Danny wouldn't hate him for what he was doing or .... or for the stray thoughts he secretly harbored. As a spike of fear knifed through the pit of his stomach, Steve's eyes fell to Danny's face again. 

He'd found something and yet didn't dare do more. Instead, he studied his heavily sleeping friend. The lashes which were as blond as the hair. The peacefulness of an expression despite the scattering of fresh scrapes and livid bruises.

As his fingers continued to run pattern after pattern, combing through Danny’s hair as if a child, Steve imagined he could feel the softness of each individual strand. He couldn’t of course. The calloused strength of his hands weren’t that adept. Yet, he knew the hair was silky and silky equated to soft where he’d fully expected an overworked fake, stiffness.

Nothing about Danny was fake though. Not a single damned thing. Not even his hair. Braver and maybe even soothing himself for the stupidest of situations which had almost cost him his partner’s life. Switching from pad to knuckle, running rhythmic lines from forehead to nearest where Danny’s head rested on his pillow, Steve worried if he was being fake by keeping his growing feelings to himself. He wondered how long he could keep up this sham. For now though, he stole this moment. 

He exhaled for the two of them and closed his eyes, finding solace in the dark of a quiet hospital room.

For _now_ , this stolen moment which only he could know about, would have to be enough.

  
_**~ End. ~** _


End file.
